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Scottish Lady Mass

Introduction

Musical traditions in Paris were to set the solo sections of responsorial chants; this meant that the Magnus liber organi consisted of settings of graduals and alleluyas for the Mass and responsories for Matins and Vespers. This is the repertory copied into W1, one assumes, at the behest of a member of Mauvoisin’s entourage. Local practices north of the Firth of Forth were much less specific. The eleventh fascicle of W1 consists of troped Ordinary items for the Mass (Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus and Agnus Dei), tracts, sequences, offertories and other Proper items; there are no graduals, and the only point of overlap with the Parisian repertory is the alleluya.

Musical style differs radically between the Parisian and local parts of W1. The Parisian style of the Magnus liber organi is characterized by the careful combination of plainsong, sustained-tone organum (where the lower of the two parts is disposed in very long values and underpins a florid upper voice), discantus (where both voices move in a note-against-note measured counterpoint) and copula (which falls somewhere between the two). The music in the eleventh fascicle of W1 is largely written in a note-against-note style with the Parisian sustained-tone style much rarer and often reserved for cadential passages (the Gloria ‘Per precem’ is an example). Whether the note-against-note counterpoint is measured in the same way as Parisian discantus or whether it is to be performed more freely in the manner of the contemporary conductus repertory is an open question. The St Andrews style is simpler, more direct and – it might be argued – more accessible to the modern ear.

Although quite definitely not a liturgical reconstruction of a Lady Mass in St Andrews around 1230 or so, this repertory well reflects the liturgical inclusiveness of the musical culture that the cathedral engendered and that is to be found in W1. ‘Rex, virginum amator’, a troped Kyrie, is followed by the troped Gloria ‘Per precem’. ‘Missus Gabriel’ and ‘Hodierne lux’ are sequences, and further troped items are the Sanctus settings ‘Mater mitis’ and ‘Voce vita’ and the Agnus Dei ‘Factus homo’. This recording also includes two monophonic troped Ordinary items from the tenth fascicle of W1, ‘Christe ierarchia’ and ‘Archetipi mundi’; these last two works give a sense of the intellectual hothouse that the cathedral and its environs must have represented: the texts of both are stuffed full of subtle allusion and display a learnedness that extends to Greek.

It seems likely that performances of the St Andrews music were restricted to a couple of soloists with the schola participating only in those parts of the plainsong that were not set in polyphony. The same applies to the monophonic tropes, but there the balance between soloist and chorus is much more even.

Recordings

'Beautifully performed and intelligently recorded' (BBC Music Magazine)'The listener is left marvelling at the ingenuity and imagination that produced such an intriguing wealth of rhythmic, harmonic and textural effects f ...» More

Let all rejoice in the Lord, celebrating a festival day in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary: for whose Assumption the Angels rejoice and give praise to the Son of God. My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak my works to the king.

King, lover of virgins, God, glory of Mary, have mercy. Who from an illustrious royal race bringest forth Mary … Receive her prayers as they deserve, poured out for the world … Christ, God born man from the Father, Mary being thy mother … Whom Mary bore from her blessed womb for the world … Receive our praises, addressed to loving Mary … O Comforter overshadowing the body of Mary … Who makest Mary’s breast a worthy bedchamber … Who liftest Mary’s spirit above the heavens … Make us to ascend after her by thy power, loving spirit …

Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men of good will. We praise thee. We bless thee. We adore thee. We glorify thee. We give thanks unto thee for thy great glory. Lord God, heavenly king, God the Father almighty, Lord Son of Mary only-begotten, Jesus Christ. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. By the most piteous prayer of the mother, the Virgin Mary, Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our supplication, That we may constantly please thee and thy most holy mother Mary. Thou that sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy upon us. Through the pleas of Mary, who is mother and daughter of her offspring. For thou alone art holy. Mary alone is holy. Thou alone art Lord. Thou alone art Lord. Mary alone is Lady. Thou alone art highest. Mary’s Mother and her Son. O Jesus Christ. With the Holy Ghost in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Alleluya. The rod hath put forth a flower that, knowing not fading, but foreknowing the tribulation to befall the world, gave special favour to merciful Mary. O Mother of God, by whom the guilty breathe again, their crimes perish, and gentle beings take their side, pre-eminent amongst the orders of angels and all creatures, transport us before the Lord who hath no end.

O truly blessed, exalted bride, mistress of the angels and of all the saints together; what great praise thy worthiness deserveth with thy beauty worthy of God. O how blessed art thou, Mary, worthily conceiving thy creator; thou gavest thy breasts in the temporal world to Him whom thou hadst before the ages for king and maker and God. Alle- sing ye all to the queen of heaven with one voice; with mind and mouth together utter the praises of holy Mary in the highest, say -luya.

Princes have persecuted me without a cause, but my heart standeth in awe of thy word: I am as glad of thy word, as one that findeth great spoils. My soul has coveted your witness, O Lord, and has prized it most eagerly.